1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bearing assembly which was developed for use for internal combustion engines of the split head variety, but could have application to any mechanical situation in which a rotating shaft requires a bearing mount.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the mechanical arts where a rotating shaft is employed, be it either in the motor, pump, internal combustion engine or the like, the shaft must be supported and any such support must provide for a bearing surface in contact with the shaft so as to allow the shaft to freely rotate without wear or deterioration. Still further, the bearing assembly requires a source of lubrication. In some instances, such as wheel bearings, the bearings are packed with a lubricant. In other instances, such as a crank shaft on an internal combustion engine, bearing surfaces are in communication with the oil sump. In a conventional internal combustion engine of the poppet valve variety, the cam shaft would be lubricated from the oil sump.
The Applicant herein has directed considerable attention to the internal combustion engine of the piston/cylinder type, and in particular to the replacement of the poppet valve system, including the poppet valve, springs, mountings and associated cam shaft with a spherical rotary valve assembly for the introduction of the fuel/air mixture into the cylinder and for the evacuation of the exhaust gases.
Applicant is the named inventor in U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,576, xe2x80x9cInternal Combustion Enginexe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,261, xe2x80x9cSpherical Rotary Valve Assembly for Internal Combustion Enginexe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,527, xe2x80x9cSpherical Rotary Valve Assembly for Internal Combustion Enginexe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,232, xe2x80x9cValve Seal for Rotary Valve Enginexe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,558, xe2x80x9cSpherical Rotary Valve Assembly for Internal Combustion Enginexe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,814, xe2x80x9cSpherical Rotary Valvexe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,739, xe2x80x9cSpherical Rotary Valve Assembly for Use in a Rotary Valve Internal Combustion Enginexe2x80x9d. The aforementioned U.S. Patents are incorporated herein as if set forth in length and in detail.
Applicant""s spherical rotary intake valve and spherical rotary exhaust valve are mounted on rotating shafts within a split head assembly. Applicant""s bearing assembly has been developed for the shaft upon which the spherical rotary intake and spherical rotary exhaust valves are mounted within his spherical rotary valve assembly, however, the bearing assembly could have equal application to any other mechanical situation which involves a rotating shaft and which would permit the positioning of Applicant""s bearing assembly.
An object of the present invention is to provide for a novel bearing assembly which is pre-lubricated and which is secured within a housing.
Another object of the present invention is to provide for a novel bearing assembly which once pre-lubricated requires no further lubrication.
A further object of the present invention is to provide for a novel bearing assembly which is permanently lubricated.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide for a novel bearing assembly in which lubricant leakage is avoided.
A bearing assembly for a rotatable shaft means, the bearing assembly having a bearing carrier housing, the housing having a fixed first end and a removably securable second end, the first and second ends having an aperture therethrough for passage of the shaft, there being packed within the housing a plurality of bearing elements, each bearing element having an inner race having an inner bearing surface dimensioned to the circumference of the rotating shaft, and an outer race concentric with the inner race and separated therefrom by a plurality of rotatable bearing means positioned between the inner race and the outer race, the inner race and rotatable bearing means freely rotatable in relationship to the outer race and rotating shaft.